Jacob howell



(No Modem J. HOWELL.

VEHICLE AXLB.

No. 247,355. Patented Sept-20,188.1.

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UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.'

JACOB HOWELL, OF JACKSO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO N. B. HALL,OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-AXLE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,355, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed July 13, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB HOWELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Axles; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters or iigures of reference marked thereoinwhicb form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in truss-axles, whereby greater strength is insured, whereby the removal of the truss audits adjustnientis more easilyaccomplished than can he done with axles as heretofore constructed, and whereby, if the skein or truss mechanism at one end of the axle is injured, the necessity of removing the skein and truss device at the other end is obviated.

The figure is a longitudinal section of an axle and truss device embodying my invention.

A represents the axle, which is made of wood, and, so far as the central portion is concerned, it may be substantially of the ordinary character. 1t is tapered at the ends to receive the skeins BB and batting-rings C C. In the under sides of the tapered parts of the axle are formed longitudinal slots to receive the trussrods. The truss is formed of two curved rods,

D and E,and theintermediate swivel, F. Each y truss-rod has at thc outer end a solid enlarged head, a, and is bent to form the part b next to said head, the part c at the opposite end and the intermediate part, d, arranged to bring the part c to a suitable distance below the axle. The part b of each of the truss-rods lies in the groove or slot formed in the under side of the tapered end ot' the axle, and is held in place by means of the skein B and the batting-ring C, the latter being provided with an expanded part or offset, e. The expanded heads of the rods bear inwardly against the outer ends of tne skeins, said heads being sufficiently small to permit the passage over them of the wheel, and of the nut which engages with the skein to hold the wheel in place. One of the rods is provided with a right-hand screw-thread and the other with a left-hand thread. They are (No model.)

drawn longitudinallyinward toward each other by means of a connecting-swivel, F, provided at its ends with nut-sections having threads corresponding with the rods with which it engages. The swivel may be turned by any suitable lever.

In order to throw and hold the parts d d of the truss-rods sufficiently far below the axle, struts G G are employed. They are preferably formed, as shown, of lnetal, having a horizontal plate for attachment to the axle and a vertical plate to provide a bearing for the truss-rod, the latter being recessed in the lower end to hold the rod in proper position laterally. The struts are situa-ted to be as nearly as possible at the point of curvature between the parts d and c of the truss-rods.

When, from any reason,it becomes necessary to remove the truss devices at either end of the axle this can be done without'the necessity of taking all the devices at both ends apart, as

the intermediate swivel enables the ready separation of the parts at one end from those at the other.

I am aware that use has been made ot trussrods extending continuously from end to end of the axle, and that with them have been con1- bined skeins arranged to have the rods pass through their under sides; and I am also awarejhat use has been made of rods attached eccentrically beneath the axle by means ofcollars or straps, and I do not claim any of these constructions as my invention.

What I claim is- 'Ihe combination, with the skeins B B and the wooden axle A, having open slots in the under sides which extend to points inside of the skeins, of the divided or separate truss-rods I) E, passing through the innerends ofthe skeins, and having the heads a, situated against the outer ends of the skeins, and the central connectin g swiveling nut, F, arranged to produce a central longitudinal pressure against the ends ot' the skeins and axle by turning the central nut, F, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

JACOB HOWELL.

Witnesses:

H. R. HALL, N. C. LOWE. 

